Among the throngs of attendees who came to the 40th anniversary celebration held for Sawtooth Mountain Clinic on Monday evening, June 25, were four generations of beautiful, strong women. Pictured from L-R: Arline Johnson, Clare (Hansen) Shirley, and Cindy Hansen, who is holding her granddaughter, Kit Shirley.
“We are here for you, together through life.”
By one count 90 people attended the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic’s 40th anniversary celebration held on Monday, June 25 at the clinic. However, with all of the coming and going, there were at least a hundred people who came with good wishes, some staying briefly before moving on to the next event in the community.
Once people had finished eating the array of fresh food set out on long tables in the hall, Carol DeSain, who serves as the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Board of Directors president, gave an update about the clinic and then introduced guest speakers.
In her brief remarks, DeSain reminded everyone that the mission of the Sawtooth Clinic is to “provide access to high quality, comprehensive, primary and preventive health care in Cook County to all users, regardless of financial ability to pay for service.”
She added, “The Sawtooth Mountain Clinic remains the sole source of primary healthcare services in Cook County and the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. We maintain a business model that assures access for all who enter our clinic, regardless of their ability to pay. We welcome residents, seasonal residents, seasonal workers, and tourists.
At the Sawtooth 40th anniversary celebration Dr. Roger MacDonald gave a brief but fiery speech about the rights of all people to have access to medical care irrespective of their financial situation.
“We welcome those on Medicare and Medicaid without limitations. We have been able to maintain this business model in this, our 40th year, because of our designation as an independent, not-for-profit, Federally Qualified Community Health Center.
“This community, the community of Cook County and the Grand Portage Reservation, benefit from the availability of high-quality medicine administered by local doctors and from the millions of dollars that come into this community through clinic grants.
“And it appears that we are in business for one more year, as SMC has been awarded a federal HRSA grant for the upcoming year of almost $1.6 million to maintain our mission.
“Last year the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic granting opportunities provided an additional $300,000 in state, private and local funding – all provided to maintain our mission of providing quality healthcare to all regardless of their ability to pay.
“In this, our 40th year of service, Rita (Plourde) and our grant writing staff have succeeded in bringing in $20 million in grant money for people in Cook County!”
Speakers included Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal chairman Norman Deschampe, who said he was born in a Cloquet hospital 65 years ago because the county did not have a hospital at that time, and Dr. Sandy Stover, who at 28 years has served the community longer than any other doctor.
Stover noted the progression in technology from documenting cases in paper and getting information from books to today, where a doctor can Google information on his cell phone and input caseloads onto a computer. She did not say the new methods were not without some frustrations, however.
Deschampe praised the professionalism of the clinic staff and the excellent relationship with Grand Portage.
RN Teresa Borak and Community Health Specialist Hartley Acero-Newell gave a detailed account of Moving Matters activities and Great Place grants that have impacted the entire community from one end of the county to the other.
Finally keynote speaker Dr. Roger MacDonald, who served the community for 17 years back in the 1970s and 1980s, expounded on the right of everyone to have accessible health care regardless of ability to pay. He was emotional as he decried that the country seems to be going back on a promise of medical services to everyone despite their income.
Mathew Brown, who serves on the board of directors, read a congratulatory letter sent from Minnesota U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (DFL), and he mentioned the Giving Tree in the clinic waiting room. Donations can be made there which will be used to help people in need pay for medical trips to Duluth or other necessities they need for their medical care, said Brown.
“We are here for you, together through life.”
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